


Seal Of Approval

by prpldragon50



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: AU H50, Alternate H50 Universe, Fluff and Angst, Gen, H50, Hurt seal Steve, McDanno?, Other, SEAL Steve McGarrett, Seals (Animals), Transmogrification, fairy tale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 08:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12790461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prpldragon50/pseuds/prpldragon50
Summary: What if?What if someone could change what they are?  Literally.  Well, Steve McGarrett has that ability.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Please note this is an AU story. No canon or any other H50 storylines to mess with. This is an idea I got from all the postings of seal pictures and relating them to the character of Steve. A little whump, a lot of anguish and I hope what many will consider a happy ending. Fluff. This will only be two chapters. Enjoy.

Seal Of Approval

            He glides through the water, the freedom of open sea before him exhilarating.  He takes in the sights and sounds, grateful for each and every one of them.  Moving quickly, he kicks toward the shore, knowing there were things to be done.  Things he wishes he could avoid but knows he must tell them.  He hasn’t shared this secret with anyone.  Not his parents; his sister; Cath; no one.  It’s all become too much though and he needs to tell someone.  So he’d made the decision to tell Danny and the kids.  Danny has been there for him for the last eight years; always has his back; has never betrayed him and has shared some of the deepest, darkest secrets with him.  They’ve faced death together and come out stronger than they were before.  He’s trusted Danny with his life almost from the beginning, but with this secret?  He fears anyone knowing this.  Not only because they would swear he’s crazy but because it’s just plain impossible.  Well, so they would say.  But it’s not.  It’s very possible and he’s proof.  And that’s the biggest reason he’s never told anyone.  If it ever got out, he’d be locked up for the rest of his life, so he’s kept it to himself with some great losses due to keeping it. 

            He can’t think of that now.  He needs to get out of the water and take care of business.  Gliding up to the shallows, as soon as he can feel the bottom, he changes position, stands and runs out and onto the beach.  Grabbing his towel, he wraps it around his waist and heads inside.  Moving quickly, he showers and dresses, surprised he hasn’t received a call.  Unusual that he can get through his entire morning routine without catching a case.  He checks his phone again to be sure and there are no messages.  _Looks like it might be a slow day.  Just old cases._ He smiles, thinking how perfect this is.  He hopes things can stay quiet for the next few days, giving him the time he needs.  Grabbing his badge, gun and keys, he’s out the door, a big smile on his face and anticipation in his heart. 

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

            “Okay, something’s wrong with bossman.”  Kono laughs, gathering up the empty plate lunch containers. 

            “Why you say that?”  Steve asks, innocence on his face.

            “Oh, come on, Steve.  You just bought lunch for the team.  When have you EVER done that before?”  Danny teases.

             “I figured it was time.  Okay?”  He counters.

            “All right.  Who’s gonna call for an ambulance?  I think Steven here is very sick.  He’s delusional!”  Danny continues. 

            “Whoa, whoa.  I’m not sick.  Give it a rest, Danno.” 

            They all laugh as they head back to their prospective work.  Steve goes into his office, followed seconds later by Danny. 

            “So, what’ this big secret?”

            “You are so impatient.  You’ll find out tomorrow.  You and the kids.”

            “Okay.  So I know it’s not some big, bloody secret you’ve been holding onto.  If you’re including the kids, it has to be no more than a PG rating.”  He smiles, sitting down across the desk. 

            “Yes, Danny, it’s PG-rated.  Don’t worry.  I won’t expose Charlie to any bloody war stories…just yet.”  He smiles big, a twinkle in his eyes. 

            “Don’t you tease about that, Steven.  I don’t want him to hear ANY of our war stories…and you know what I’m talking about.”  He states, emphatically. 

            “Okay, okay.  I got it.”  He leans back in his chair, fingertip to fingertip in front of his face.  “You like animals, don’t you?”

            Danny gives him a questioning look.  “Yeah.  You know I love dogs.  Why would you ask that?  No.  No, no, Steve.  You didn’t get my kids a dog, did you?  You remember what happened to the last one I got her, don’t you?  Rachel didn’t want it getting all over the furniture and so she gave it away.  Well, took it to the pound to be more precise.  She will never allow them to have a dog and I can’t have one.  I’m never home!” 

            “I was just asking a question.  Don’t get your panties in a bunch.  I did not get them a dog.  Don’t worry.”

            “Then why ask about animals?  Huh?  Unless this big secret has to do with animals.  Wait.  Are you getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo?  Is that what this is?”

            “Stop.  Just stop.  You will never figure it out in a million years so don’t hurt yourself trying.  You will just have to wait until tomorrow.”  Steve has a look of superiority on his face.

            “Don’t look so smug, Steven.  It’s not a good look on you.”  Danny stands and walks out of the office.  Steve just smiles after him, knowing this is going to blow his mind.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

            He walks out to the chairs, towel in hand and a big smile on his face.  Danny had continued to bother him all day, trying to figure out what the big secret is.  He gave him no more hints and finally demanded he stop or he’ll call the whole thing off.  Danny, already having told the kids, could not let that happen so he shut his mouth…at least about the secret. 

            Walking into the water, he revels in the feel of it on his skin; the movement of around his legs and finally his waist as he then dives in and begins to swim out.  Arriving at the sand bar, he carefully glides over it and turns.  Slipping off his shorts, he tucks them in their usual hiding spot and goes under.  Closing his eyes, he thinks about the seals he loves and feels the change take place.  Opening his big, black eyes, everything now looks different.  The ocean life takes on a completely different look and he finds he’s ravenous.  Gliding through the water, he reaches out with his mind and soon hears her call.  Swimming faster, he can’t wait to get to her and have his morning meal. 

            Coming upon the less inhabited area of the North Shore, he finds her waiting, part of his morning meal hanging from her mouth.  He stops in front of her and nods his head.  She nods back, and he takes the half-eaten octopus from her and devours it.  At first, he had balked at eating anything in this form but as time went on, he realized that this form needs nourishment just as much as his human side.  Now he will devour anything he can since his weight is more than doubled when in seal form than when human. 

            He had been no more than fourteen when he discovered he had this ability.  He’d been out swimming, farther out than he should have been and he noticed the seals playing in the water.  Suddenly, before he knew it, he had changed.  He’d had no idea what was happening, and he changed back just as quickly.  Thinking he was suffering from some kind of sickness, he mentioned it to no one and stayed out of the deep water for the next few weeks.  But he felt some kind of longing and he went out again and he changed again.  He’d soon figured out who to do it at will and found that he could go anywhere up and down the east coast of the island in a matter of hours. 

            This secret had scared him, too.  He didn’t dare tell anyone for fear they would lock him away…think he was crazy.  So, he kept it to himself, not even discussing it with his parents.  Then reality sent him a devastating blow and he was sent away.  He tried turning once while at the academy, but he couldn’t abide the cold waters of the Atlantic, so he buried that side of him, deep.  It wasn’t until he was in BUDS and out on the west coast that he changed again.  The warmer waters of the Pacific were better but he, the seal, longed to be back in the Hawaiian Islands and home.  He found that this ability served him well in some of his missions yet he still never told anyone.  He’d found some legends written about men who could turn into seals but that’s all they were.  Tall tales told by salty fishermen on cold nights.  He wanted to discuss it with his dad, but he never found the time and then it was too late.  His dad was dead, and he was home.  Home in his beautiful Hawaiian waters but they lacked the pull of so many years before. 

            Then two things happened.  He met this lovable female seal named Lilly, and he found a journal his dad had been keeping since his teenage years hidden under a loose floorboard in the downstairs bedroom.  No matter the mating rituals, Lilly found something special about him from the start and tried to stay true to him.  He had to fight off many male seals for the right to mate with her, but he was larger than most males, outweighing them by a good hundred pounds, and his SEAL skills came in handy when dispatching them.  Over the years, he and Lilly have had seven pups together and he hopes the recent mating had another one on the way.  If he can’t have a family in his human form, he wasn’t going to deny himself in seal form.  She’d taken to calling him Koa, not being fond of his given human name.  He could hear that name wherever he was, no matter how far away. 

            As for his father’s journal…he’d found out, too late as usual, that his father had this ability, too.  As had his grandfather.  He read how his father had learned many things from his grandfather…things he should have learned from his father, but he’d been too afraid.  He hadn’t trusted his own father and he’d lost out on something special.  He’d read through the entire journal one weekend, finding out a great deal about this ability…it’s limitations.  The biggest being who he trusts with this secret.  See, as long as no one knows, he’s safe and can go back and forth between forms as he wishes.  But if he shares it and someone sees him change; sees him go from seal to human, well, if they don’t accept it, he can never become a seal again.  He will no longer be able to live in that world.  That would kill him.  To lose that part of him now would crush him.  There are many other things he learned about this ability but that was the most important.  No matter that he didn’t know, he’d kept the secret all these years.  Now he was willing to take the chance and tell the one person he trusts with his life…and happiness.  He knows Danny will not let him down. 

            He looks at his seal love and moves around her as she does him, this being their usual greeting.  They had mated recently, and he hopes that they will be having another pup soon.  All his pups had been born on the stretch of beach behind his house, all but living in his backyard.  He’d just made sure no one came around during that time.  His father had never mated with a female seal, nor had his grandfather, so he was the first as far as he knows. 

            It seems that a part of him being human has become part of his pups since they stay somewhat a family rather than going off on their own.  For monk seals, it is almost unheard of, but his pups stick close to his human home and bring their families with them.  With the seven pups he currently has, four of those have started mating and rebuilding the waning seal population here around Oahu.  One has gone to the Northern Islands but does come back every now and then.  That one, his oldest, seems to have picked up very little of his human side.  The rest, four female and two males, have all stayed in the area, mating with other seals and making a ‘family.’  He was happy to have this.  He’d read up on monk seals and discovering that when they are weaned, they are essentially abandoned sat heavy in his heart.  He couldn’t do that, no matter what.  So he’d watched over his ‘children’ and kept them safe so they could grow and have pups of their own.  At first, Lilly almost left for the Northern Islands upon seeing him do this, but after realizing it was for the good of her species, she’d relented and taken to this strange seal. 

He spends the early morning hours with her, swimming, eating and playing.  Once the sun hits a certain point, he signals he must leave and he heads back to his beach.  So caught up in his thoughts of telling Danny and the kids, he doesn’t notice the small fishing vessel following him.  Not until the debilitating pain in his left side and he feels himself being pulled toward the boat.  Glancing down his side, he realizes he’s been hit with a small harpoon and is being pulled in.  He’d heard there were still poachers around, taking whatever illegal wildlife they could get their hands on, but he never thought they would go after a monk seal.  Not with all the fines and jail time if they’re caught.  Yet here his is with a harpoon in his side, waiting to become their latest prize. 

Pulling from his human side, he swims toward the boat, and then under it, taking them by surprise.  That move gives him just enough leeway to quickly change, grab the old wooden spear and break it off.  Feeling the metal tip shift in his body, he realizes that he cannot remain human without severe damage to major organs.  Shifting back to seal form, he dives deep, hoping they cannot see him and swims toward his beach. 

_“Koa?  My love?”_   He hears in his head.

_“Lilly?  What’s wrong?”_

_“You.  I heard you scream.  What has happened?  Are you all right?”_

He had not realized he’d screamed.  He needs to keep her away.  _“I’m fine.  DO NOT come near me.  Stay in the uninhabited areas.  Please.”_

_“What has happened?  I can feel you are hurt.”_

_“Yes, I have been.  By ones who should not be hurting the seals.  You must stay away, though.  I will be all right.”_ He fights to keep going, needing to reach his beach.  He knows Danny and the kids will be there soon and will find him.

_“I can help you.”_

_“No, my dear.  Stay where you are.  Stay safe.”_ He grunts as he makes his way over the sand bar.  In moments he hauls himself out onto the shore with the last of his energy. 

Danny, the kids right behind him, walks up to the front door and gives his usual courtesy knock.  Not hearing a response, he looks down at Charlie.  “Now, normally you wouldn’t do this, but this is Uncle Steve’s house and we are welcome at all times.”  He reaches down, finding the door unlocked and opens it. 

“Steve?  You here?”  He walks in, followed closely by his son.  Grace hangs back, closing the door behind her. 

“Doesn’t look like he’s here, Danno.”  She stands, leaning against the door. 

“He better be.  He said he had a big secret to tell us and he’s been pushing it all week, with no hints.”  He looks all around the first floor.  “Steven!  You upstairs?”  He glances up at the second-floor landing. 

“I don’t think he’s here, Danno.”  Charlie sits down on the recliner. 

“Maybe he lost track of time on his morning swim.  Come on.  Let’s check out back.”  He takes Charlie by the hand and goes to the back-lanai door.  Grace follows, her fingers texting away. 

“Why do I have to be here, again?”  She asks, following them out.

“Because your Uncle Steve asked for both of you to be here.  That’s why.  Now put your phone away.” 

She rolls her eyes and continues texting. 

“Look, Danno.  It’s a seal!”  Charlie lets go of his hand and goes running toward the large seal lying on the sand. 

“Charlie, come back here.”  Danny breaks out in a jog, going after his young son.  “Don’t you dare go near it!”

“It looks hurt, Danno.”  He stops short, seeing the blood and broken spear sticking out of the seal’s side. 

Danny catches up to his son, his daughter a few seconds behind. 

“Dad, that looks like a monk seal.  We learned about them in class.  They’re protected.  No one is to be hurting them.”  She holds up her phone, taking a picture of the injured animal. 

“I know that, Grace.  This one looks as if someone was hunting it and it managed to break the spear somehow.  Why it’s washed up here is beyond me.”  He pulls Charlie back, not wanting him to get near an injured wild animal. 

“We need to call someone, Dad.  It need help.  We can’t just leave it here.” 

Danny looks around, wondering where his wayward partner is.  “I wonder where Steve is.  I see his towel, but I don’t even see him in the water.”  He ponders as he pulls out his phone.  Opening a browser, he looks up a number connecting him to the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. 

“Hello.  Yes, this is Detective Danny Williams with the 5-0 task force.  Yes, I have a beached seal that is injured.  Yes, it still has part of a spear or harpoon in its side.  No, I have not touched it, but it seems to still be alive.  Yes, the address is 2727 Piikoi Street, Honolulu.  Yes, the private beach out back.  No, I don’t see any other seals.  I don’t have any idea.  It’s rather large, over seven feet, I would say.  Maybe close to eight.  No, I cannot even guess at how much it weighs.  Please, this is my friends home.  No, I do not know where he is but I’m sure he would have no problem with you coming on his land to help this wounded animal.  Please, just send someone over here.  My two children are here and want to be sure the seal is gonna be okay.  Yes, thank you.”  He ends the call, looking down at Charlie.  “They’re on their way. It’s gonna be fine.”  He places his hand on his son’s head. 

“Maybe this was the surprise, Dad.  Maybe Uncle Steve wanted us to see the seal.”

“Maybe, Grace.  I just don’t understand why he would keep it such a secret.  I mean, it’s a seal.  Not a big deal.”

“But it is, Dad, if it’s coming up here to the beach.  No one is to approach or mess with these seals at all.  They generally stay away from inhabited areas and for one to haul out onto this beach is very unusual.  He couldn’t really let just anyone know.” 

“Well, look at the brains on my little girl.”  He smiles at her, his pride showing.  “Okay, maybe it is this seal.  But that still doesn’t explain where your uncle is right now.” 

Grace nods, taking a few more pictures of the seal.  It hurts her to see an innocent animal injured like this and makes her mad at the same time.  For anyone to do this is appalling.  They need to be found and have the same done to them. 

Thirty minutes later, a flat bottom boat comes up and beaches itself, several people getting off and going to the injured seal.  One woman walks over to Danny.

“Detective?”

“Yes.”

Holding out her hand, she introduces herself.  “My name’s Nancy Reid.  I’m from the refuge.  We got here as soon as we could.  Looks like it’s still alive, so that’s good.  By the size of it, looks like a female.  But we can’t be sure until we get a good look.  You found it?”

“Yeah.  This is my partner’s home.  He asked us to come over this morning.  We got here, found this poor animal here but he’s nowhere to be found.” 

“Well, this is unusual but not unheard of.  This is a private beach?”  She takes out her phone and starts typing.

“Yes, it is.  All along here is private.”

“Well, that might explain it.  Normally these seals don’t like large crowds and if this is private, would explain finding them gravitating here.”  She nods, and looks over to the others working to get the large animal into the sling.  “We plan on taking it back to the refuge, repairing any damage and, if it survives, allow it rehab until it’s ready to go back into the ocean.”

“You think it’ll be okay?”  Charlie pipes up.

She looks down and the young boy.  “Oh, I think we can give it a good chance of surviving, yes.”  She smiles at Charlie, hoping she can keep good on that. 

“Nancy?”  One of the others calls to her.

She walks over to them, shakes her head in amazement and walks back over.  “Well, I was wrong.  This is a male.  He’s big for a male but definitely a male.”

“Really?  Is there that much difference?”  Danny asks, looking back as the maneuver the crane on the boat to hookup the sling they have around the large animal. 

“Oh, yes.  Most males are around seven feet long and weigh between 350 and 400 pounds.  Females, on the other hand, can be over eight feet long and weigh as much as 600 pounds.  This guy here is just under eight feet and looks to weigh over 500 pounds.  He’s big, I’ll give him that.  Probably saved his life, too.”  She looks fondly at the seal as it’s hauled onto the boat.  “Listen, Detective, if your partner returns, I have a few questions for him.  Please give him my name and number.”  She hands Danny a card. 

“I most certainly will.  He has a lot of explaining to do as it is.”  He smiles.  She shakes his hand again and heads back to the boat.  Danny puts his hand on Charlie’s shoulder, not wanting him to go near the water.  They wave as the boat pulls away.  He pockets the card, vowing to give his partner a rant like he’s never heard before when he shows his face. 

“Danno, where’s Uncle Steve?”

“I don’t know, Charlie.  But when he shows his face, I’m gonna give him a time out.  How’s that sound?” 

Charlie smiles big, nodding his head. 

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````

_“Koa?  My love, are you there?”_

He hears the wonderful lilting voice of his love and tries to clear his mind.  He slowly opens his eyes and finds himself surrounded by medical equipment, but not the kind he’s used to seeing.  Trying to move, he feels trapped and then realizes he’s still a seal.  Grunting, he tries to move around and finds it difficult. 

“Hey, there, big guy.  You’re finally awake.”  The soft voice fills the air.  He tries to see where it’s coming from but can’t get his head around.  He tries to pull away when he feels kind, gentle hands on his side and realizes they aren’t trying to hurt him. 

“You had us scared for a bit.  You’ve been out for over 24 hours.  We weren’t sure you were gonna make it.”  A pretty face comes into his view.  She smiles at him as her hand gently rubs his side.  He feels the pulling of the stitches where they’d repaired his side, but the pain is minimal.  They must have given him some kind of pain medication. 

_“My love, are you there?”_ He hears in his head. 

_“I’m here, my dear.  I’m here.”_

_“I have been so afraid.  After you told me to stay away, I have been trying to find you.  Are you hurt?”_

_“I was but that has been tended to.  I will be fine.  Are you and the pups okay?”_

_“We are well.  I have done what you said and stayed where I am.  I have told the pups and they have stayed away as well.  What is happening?”_

He doesn’t want to worry her, but they have always been honest.  _“Hunters.  They caught me, but I was able to get away.   I went to my human home where I was found.  I will be better soon.”_

_“Hunters?  They are not allowed.  You told me that.”_

_“I know, my dear.  They are not to hunt, but humans do not always obey.  I am sorry.”_

_“You have nothing to sorry for.  You did not do this to yourself, my love.  I will be near.  I will be here for you when you return.”_

_“Be safe, my dear.  Do not put yourself in any danger for me.  Keep the pups away.”_

_“We will be safe.  You heal and come back to us.”_

He looks back at the kind face hovering above his head.  The exchange with Lilly had taken only moments.  He concentrates on what she is saying, but finds it difficult.  He’s never been in seal form for this long and it may be taking its toll on him. 

“Don’t worry, big guy.  Another day or two and we will have you back in the water.  You seem to be wanting it so we will get you there.  Then, if there are no complications, we should have you back in that big ocean in ten days to two weeks.”  She gently pats him and walks away. 

_Two weeks?  How will I ever explain this to Danny.  He hates it when I just disappear and this time?  I will have to tell him this secret now.  I have no choice._

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````

“Yeah, yeah.  I understand, Joe.  It’s been over a week, though, and not a word from him.  I thought if he’s off on some super-secret mission, you would know.  I appreciate you checking.  Thanks.” 

Danny hangs up the phone and walks back out to the beach.  He’s been over here checking for Steve every day and today, Charlie had insisted on coming with him. 

“Uncle Steve?”  he asks his father, looking up from the sand castle he’s making. 

“Sorry, buddy.  No.  That was a good friend of your uncle’s, though.  He hasn’t heard from him, either.  But I’m sure he’s safe and sound.  You know your Uncle Steve.”

“I know Danno.  I just don’t like you being so worried all the time.”  He continues to build. 

Danny, shocked by how attuned his son is to him, shakes his head.  “I am worried, but you don’t worry about me.  I’ll be fine.” 

“Okay, Danno.  I’m sure Uncle Steve will be, too.  I just wish he would come home.” 

“Well, Charlie, that’s your Uncle Steve.  He disappears from time to time, and always come home.  He’s is a SEAL, after all.” 

``````````````````````````````````````````````````

Steve swims around the pond, relishing the feel of being able to move and glide through the water.  A few days ago, when the first put him back in the water, he’d been elated.  It had been too long and needed the water.  The pull from it was undeniable.  He had spoken several times with Lilly, keeping her informed of his status. 

When they’d lowered him into the water for the first time since the incident, he’d jumped and flipped and loved the feel of the water all around him.  It had been like coming home. 

They hadn’t been sure how he would do, but he handled it so well, they left him in the pond area.  He was alone, but Lilly was always present in his mind, so he never felt lonely.  He knew they weren’t going to let him go until they were sure he was well on his way to being fully healed, but he longed to get back out in the ocean and to his human home. 

Human. 

He has been a seal for so long he almost forgot he was human.  This is the longest he’s ever remained a seal and, as far as he can tell, neither his father nor grandfather had ever been one this long.  He is not sure the effect it will have on him but he has no choice.  If he’d remained human after breaking the harpoon, he would have died.  And if he didn’t, how would he explain the injury?  No, he has to remain in this form.  Though, yesterday he did dive deep, making sure no one could see him, and he did revert for a moment.  He’d needed to be sure he could still become human.  The pain he felt in that form was too much and he was more than glad to become a seal again. 

Moving through the water, he is overjoyed to hear a familiar tone in his head. 

_“My love?  Are you there?”_

_“Yes, my dear.  I am here.  Is everything all right?”_

_“Everything is fine.  I am checking in.”_

_“I miss you, my dear.  I am back in the water yet I wish to be with you.”_

_“I miss you, too, my love.  I will be here when you return.  Do not fret.”_

_“I hope it to be soon.  I am healing well and they talk of letting me go soon.”_

_“That day will be filled with joy.  I look forward to it.”_

He can feel her presence disappear and knows she must have been near.   He longs to be near her again, but he also longs to get to his human home.  To let everyone know he’s fine.  He knows Danny must be going out of his mind and will be so pissed when he tells him ‘it’s classified’.  He has no choice.  At least not until he can tell him the full story.  He hopes he will understand.

            ````````````````````````````````````````````````

            Over the next week, Danny, making good on a promise made to both of his children, goes after the poachers who’d injured the big bull seal.  With some help from Kamekona, Duke and Nancy, they’d tracked them down and arrested them.  Putting them in jail had helped ease his mind, but he is still concerned for Steve.  Two weeks and not a word.  Nothing.  If he didn’t hear soon, he was going to have to go straight to the top to find out if he’s dead or alive. 

            To celebrate the jailing of those monsters, he takes Grace and Charlie back to the house, hoping maybe Steve might make an appearance.  To his surprise, as they are playing in the water, a large mammal makes its way toward them.  As he runs into the water, he sees it’s a seal.  Moving to his children, he watches as it slowly circles them, moving with ease and grace.  It almost seems to be mocking him as it glides through the water.

            ````````````````````````````````````````````

            Steve can tell today is going to be different.  Just the way he’s being treated tells him something big is happening.  He’d been given extra food for his early morning meal and now they pull him in, checking him over carefully.  He had learned to trust them, going to them easily and allowing them to check him over each day.  But today is different. 

            “Hey, big guy!  How ya feeling today?”  Nancy says, getting into the water with him.  She’d never done that before and he’s a little leery. 

            “Don’t worry.  I’m not gonna hurt you, but we do need to keep track of you.  Before we let you go, we need to tag you.”  She reaches for his fin.

            _Tag me?  No!  That cannot happen.  If they do that, everyone will know!_ He pulls away from her and swims out to deepest part of the pond.  He shakes his head, trying to tell her she can’t do that.

            “Hey, hey, big guy.  Come back here.  It won’t hurt.  I promise.  But we need to be able to identify you.  That’s all.”  She motions for him to come back. 

            He stays in the middle, not moving.  He can’t be tagged.  Besides them being able to track him, how would affect him in his human form.  Where would it appear?  No, he can’t allow it.

            She looks him over, still amazed at his size and coloring. 

            Coloring. 

            That’s it.  “You know what?  Since you seem to be so opposed to us doing anything else to you, I’ve got an idea.  Will you let me get a couple of good pictures of you?  You have some of the most unusual markings just above and on your flippers, I could pass that off as unique enough to be able to track you.  I know we have not seen anything matching this on any other seal I’ve come across.  Those markings should be enough.  What do you say?”  She speaks to him as if he can understand her. 

            Oh, if she only knew!

            He considers her a moment.  She’s never been cruel to him and she has always been honest.  He swims in circles for a bit, acting as if he can’t understand her.  She gets out of the water, grabs her camera and gets back in.  It’s a long time before he makes his way back over to her, seeing the camera and not the tagging device. 

            Finally, he relents and gets close enough for her to get a few good shots.  He knows what she’s seeing are the conversion of his tattoos on each bicep and he’s never been happier to have them.  Once she has enough, she gets out of the water and leaves him be.  

            The day and night are long, but he can feel a change is coming. 

            Early the next morning, he sees her return, a large smile on her face.  “Well, they went for it, big guy.  Your markings are definitely unique and they accepted my idea of using those for tracking purposes.  We won’t be able to know where you are, but I am sure you will be around.  This way, we can know where you propagate and how long you live.  You are now a part of our legacy.”  She throws some live fish to him.  He devours them all. 

            “And now the bad news.  At least for me.  It’s time to let you go.  You are healed well enough that you can take care of yourself.  You don’t belong cooped up in this little pond so it’s time for you to leave.  I wish you could understand me.  I will miss you.  I’m glad I was the one that got the call the day you were injured.  I wish you well, big guy, and I hope to see you around.”  She punches a button on the wall and he can hear a buzzing sound. 

            Going under the water, the sound becomes clearer and he can see the gate opening out into the open ocean.  He comes above again and glances back at her.  He swears he sees tears falling; he can’t be sure.  Moving slowly, he makes his way toward the gate, not wanting to be too eager.  Finally, he can contain himself no longer and he launches himself out into the open water.  Elated to be free again, he dives and jumps, showing his joy at being free.  Without a glance back, he makes a beeline for his love. 

            _“My dear?  Are you near?”_

_“Koa?  My love, where are you?”_

_“Making my way to you right now.”_   He moves swiftly through the water, a reunion with her the only thing on his mind. 

            In what seems like moments, he sees her gliding toward him and he doesn’t hesitate to show her his joy at reuniting with her.

            _“Oh, I missed you, my love.  Are you well?”_

_“Yes.  I am well.  I am overjoyed to be with you again.  The pups?  Are they all safe?”_

_“They are.  I watched as the one you call ‘Danny’ came and took the bad men away.  They will not hurt another seal.”_

_“He did?  Good for him.  I am glad.”_ He nuzzles her, wanting to spend all day and night with her.  At this time, he wished they understood the pleasure of sex for no other reason than to enjoy it.  But for most females, it is not a pleasurable experience. 

            _“Are you returning to him?  He has been worried.”_

_“How do you know?”_

_“I have observed him sitting out on your beach, a strange look on his face.  I have been watching him for you.  I know how much you care for him.”_

_“Oh, my dear, you are wonderful.  I am appreciative of that.  You did not have to do that.  You were in danger.”_

_“For you, I took on that danger.”_ She nuzzles him.  She marvels at how much his human ways have affected her.  Before he came along, she never acted this way with another bull.  He changed her.  She feels uncontrollably attached to him and she never wants him to leave.  Even if she only gets him for a small amount of time each day. 

            _“You must remain safe.  I can tell you are carrying.  You cannot risk the new pup.”_

_“It, and I, will be fine.  You could always tell.  We will be well.”_

_“I must go.  I need to get back and explain my absence.”_

_“I understand.  Go.  I will be here.”_

He nuzzles her one more time and heads back to his beach.  As he stops near the sand bar, miraculously his trunks still there, he sees them.  Grace and Charlie playing in the water and he can’t resist.  Moving over the bar, he slowly glides toward them, his only intention to play.  He hears Danny’s voice yelling at them to come out of the water as he runs in.  Carefully, Steve circles around them, knowing something they don’t. 

 

TBC.....


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the conclusion. will he tell Danny and the kids? What will happen.

** Chapter Two **

            Yes, he’s a little smug. 

            As he circles them, never coming too close, since a normal seal wouldn’t, Danny moves them out of the water. 

            “Hey, Danno, look!”  Charlie yells out, pointing at the Steve’s side.  “Isn’t that the seal that was hurt?”

            He sees Danny stare at him and then nod.  “I think so, Charlie, but that doesn’t mean he’s safe to be around.  He is still a wild animal.” 

            He continues to coax them out of the water. 

            “I think he just wants to be friends.”  Charlie reaches out to him. 

            “Charlie!”  Danny grabs his son’s hand and pulls into his arms.  Moving quickly now, he walks out of the water and onto the sand, Grace right behind him. 

            “I think Charlie’s right, Dad.  I don’t think he wants to hurt us.”  Grace turns and looks at Steve. 

            He swims up to shore and wiggles his way onto the sand, staying just far enough away to remain acting like a normal seal.  He tentatively reaches for Grace and then backs away when she reaches out. 

            “Grace, don’t.  We don’t know what he wants.”  Danny warns her. 

            “Look!”  Charlie points out into the water.  Danny looks up and sees several more seals, heads bobbing above the water. 

            Steve glances behind him, barking at the other seals. 

            _“Lilly, what is going on?  Why are the pups here?”_

_“I do not know, my love.  You know I have no control over them.  Maybe they are curious.”_ He can almost hear amusement in her voice. 

            _“They need to leave.  Danny does not trust me.  I do not want any hurt.”_

_“He would not hurt any.  He saved you.  They will be fine, my love.  Do not worry.”_

Steve barks at them again, telling them to stay back.  They continue to stare at the humans, their barks almost sounding like laughing. 

            “What are they doing, Danno?”

            “I don’t know, Charlie.  I’ve never seen this many at one time.  But I think we should go.  They seem to have claimed this beach as theirs.”  He takes his son’s hand and leads him away from the water. 

            Grace reluctantly follows him, glancing back at Steve, wanting to approach and see if he is friendly.  Steve nods his head, trying to let her know.  He has a strong feeling that Grace will accept his secret without question.  Charlie, too.  It’s their father who might have some issues. 

            ``````````````````````````````````````````````````

            Steve waits until he’s sure Danny and the kids have left and retrieves his trunks, changing out at the sand bar and swimming back to the beach.  Coming out of the water, he teeters a bit, not having his ‘land legs’.  He’s been a seal for so long he’s almost forgotten how to walk.  Making his way up to the back door, he finds the hidden key, that not even Danny knows about, and let’s himself in. 

            Coming out of the shower, he looks at the new scar in the mirror.  Running his fingers over it, he notices it is right below his ribcage, on his left side.  Most definitely it would have cause major, if not terminal, damage if he’d remained human.  He blesses the fact that seals heal much quicker than humans.  Dressing, he prepares himself for what will be the biggest Danny-rant he’s ever experienced.  Picking up the phone, he hits the speed dial for Danny and waits for him to pick up. 

            “Where the hell have you been?  What the fuck is going on, Steven?”  He hears yelled into the phone. 

            “Language, Daniel.”

            “The kids aren’t with me.  Now, you have a great deal of explaining to do.  You call us over for a big secret and then disappear for over two weeks.  The kids were very disappointed and the only thing that kept them from being mad was the injured seal we found.  They think that’s the big surprise.”

            Steve stops pacing, not sure what Danny means.  “What do you mean?”

            “They think you’ve been holding out on them and have been swimming with the seals.  That you have a whole pod, or whatever they are called, living in your backyard and you were gonna share that with them.  I almost believe that, considering the injured one showed up this morning while we were there, hoping you would make an appearance.  So??”

            “What?”

            “Where the hell have you been?  You know what?  Nevermind.  Where are you?  I’m coming to you so I can see it on your face if your lying to me.”

            “I wouldn’t lie to you, Daniel.  I can’t tell you where I’ve been.”

            “NO, NO, NO!  Do not say it.  Are you at home?”

            “Uh, yeah.”

            “Good.  I’ll be there in ten.  DO NOT LEAVE!”  The line goes dead. 

            Steve chuckles to himself, wanting to leave, just to piss him off, but knowing if he did, Danny may never forgive him.  Fixing himself some coffee, he sits down to wait.  Sure enough, exactly ten minutes later, he hears the roar of the Camaro’s engine.  Steeling himself for the inevitable rant, he goes to the front door. 

            Opening it, he sees Danny storming up the walk, anger infusing his face. 

            “All right, SuperSEAL, where have you been?  Huh?  You promised you would never just disappear again and here you did it.  Don’t give me any of that classified shit, either.  You tell me where you’ve been or I’m outa here.  Yeah, you heard me.  I will back up me and the kids and take off to another part of the island, go back to HPD and never speak to you again.  This is just too much, Steven.  Bad enough you pull this on me, but to do this to my kids?  NO, I won’t stand for that.  They don’t deserve it.  You’ve disappeared enough while Grace was little.  You can’t do this to Charlie.  He’s had enough in his young life.  You need to be straight with me, and it better be good!”  During this rant, he’d stormed into the house, walked across the main room and into the study.  He now turns back to Steve, who’s still standing at the front door, his breathing fast and heavy and the anguish for his kids apparent on his face. 

            Steve, not realizing just how much this affects Danny, closes the door and walks over to him. 

            “Hey, buddy, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to cause all this.  I had no choice.  I literally had no choice but to go away.”

            Danny, taking a deep breath, looks up into his partner’s eyes.  “But where?  Where did you go, Steve?  Why did you have no choice?  And why couldn’t you at least leave a note?  Something to let us know you were okay?  Hell, I didn’t know if you were dead or alive.  And you know me.  I have to choose the worst possible situation.” 

            Steve, touched by this confession, places his hands on Danny’s shoulders.  “I should have, but I didn’t have time.  You know I would have let you know everything if I had the chance.  I just didn’t.  I am truly sorry, buddy.”

            Danny doesn’t move for a moment and then nods his head.  Looking up into those hazel eyes, he grins.  “You still haven’t answered my question.  Where have you been?”

            Steve, hoping to avoid it, lets go of the compact man, turning to the back door.  Gazing out, he can see the pups are still in the water, maybe looking for him.  “I can’t tell you, Danny.”  He holds up his hand before Danny can speak again.  “At least not yet.  Will that do for now?  I will tell you, just not now.”

            He looks back at his friend, who slowly nods.  “You know I won’t let this one go.  I can’t.  Charlie asks every day where his Uncle Steve is and when he’s gonna come home.  And Grace?  She knows about your past and seems to understand, but she was still hurt when you weren’t here.”

            “That’s why I can’t tell you now.  I want both of them here.  I want to tell them I’m sorry and then tell you all where I’ve been and what’s been going on.”

            Danny looks up him, not believing that this man can still surprise him.  “You want them here when you tell me?  Are you sure?”

            “Yes, Danny.  I’m sure.  You all deserve an explanation.  Do you think you could get them over here tomorrow morning?  It’s Sunday.”

            Danny thinks for a minute and nods.  “Yeah.  I don’t think Rachel will give me a hard time about it.  She’s as upset as I am at how hurt the kids were.  I think she’ll be okay with it.”

            “Good.  Have them here early.  This might take some time.” 

            `````````````````````````````````````````````````

            He paces the floor, patience never his strong suit.  He turns to the front door when he hears the Camaro pull in and wipes his sweaty palms on his shorts.  He has no idea how to start this but he’ll have to feel things out with the kids.  Let them take the lead. 

            When the front door opens, he’s surprised as Charlie makes a beeline for him, all but jumping into his arms. 

            “Uncle Steve!”  He throws his arms around his neck.  “I’m so happy you’re back.  I was afraid you’d been hurt.” 

            Steve hugs him tight.  “I’m fine, big man.  Don’t you worry about you Uncle Steve.”  He laughs as he puts him down.  He stands straight and looks into the most hurt pair of brown eyes he’s ever seen.  “Hey, Gracie.”

            “Hey.” 

            “I’m sorry, Grace.  I had no choice.”

            “Why didn’t you at least leave a note?  We all thought you were dead!”  She holds nothing back. 

            “Again, I’m sorry.  I don’t know what else I can say right now.  I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.  But it did and I can’t change it.  If you give me a chance, though, I might be able to explain it.  Will you give me that chance?”  He pleads with her. 

            Just like her father, she studies him, wondering if she’s going to get the truth.  Finally, she nods, walking over and giving him a big hug.  “I’m just glad you’re okay and alive.”  He twitches a bit as her arms hug him tight around his injury and he hopes she doesn’t notice.  He’s not quite ready for the big reveal. 

            He looks up at Danny and smiles.  He doesn’t get one in response but he knows they’re good. 

            “So, how about we go outside and hit the beach?”  Steve grudgingly lets go of Grace. 

            “Beach?  You wanna go for a swim?”  Danny’s anger starts rising again. 

            “Maybe no a swim, but I do have something to show you.”  He takes Charlie by the hand and leads him outside.  He doesn’t have to turn around to know Grace and Danny are right behind him.  He smiles when he sees almost all his ‘family’s’ heads bobbing above the water.  The only ones missing are his eldest and his love.  She did not want to be a part of this…yet.

            “I knew it!  I knew you wanted to tell us about the seals!”  Charlie tries to run to the water, but Steve keeps a tight hold on his hand. 

            “Yes, that’s part of it.”  He stops at the chairs, sitting down so he’s on eye level with the boy.  “They are part of what I wanted to tell you.  This is not what I originally had in mind, but they are persistent.” 

            “Per…persis?”  Charlie tries to copy the word.

            Steve laughs.  “They’re like your dad, Charlie.  It means they don’t give up.”

            Charlie laughs.  With that sound, the seals start barking, as if joining in.  That makes Charlie laugh even harder and soon they have all joined in.  That breaks through the tension and everyone relaxes. 

            Steve, glad no one picked up on his error about the seals, starts to formulate a plan in his head.  He knows no one is to approach the seals but he has a special bond with them and he can’t stop himself.  Once everyone is comfortable, he stands and walks into the water.  He’d removed his shirt, wondering if anyone will notice the scar. 

            “Steven, what are you doing?”  Danny yells at him.

            “I’m going in the water.  Anyone wanna join me?”

            “No!  My kids are not getting in the water with those wild animals.”

            “They won’t hurt them, Danno.  I can promise that.”  He moves out deeper and the pups surround him.  He still thinks of them as pups, even though many have gone off and started mating.  His ‘daughters’ have all had at least one pup; his ‘sons’ not yet.  Well except for his eldest.  It’s just hard to realize that, due to the difference in life spans, the pups are considered full grown at about three to four years.  He looks back at Grace, knowing she still has a few years to go before she’s considered full grown. 

            He smiles, being surrounded by his ‘family’ and wants to change but the time is not right.  He wants to get Grace and Charlie, and maybe even Danny, to accept them and know they will not hurt them.  He swims and plays with the seals, urging Danny to let the kids come in the water, even though they are breaking the law.  Danny continues to use it as an excuse until he finally relents and allows Grace to go in with her Uncle Steve. 

            She slowly makes her way out, flinching away every time one of the seals comes close to her, but as she gets to Steve, she knows he wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her and she relaxes.  She’d not been allowed to touch the one they found on the beach, so she’s amazed at how soft they are when she finally touches one of them.  They love the feel of warm, kind hands caressing them and soon they are moving to have her pet them. 

            “You need to come out here, Dad.  Bring Charlie!  They are so tame and kind.  They won’t hurt you!”  She laughs and the seals join in. 

            Steve stands there, smiling at how quickly they accepted her and he wants them to do the same with Danny and Charlie.  “Come on, Danno!”  He waves at them. 

            Danny, seeing how happy his little girl is, can’t hold his son back.  “Okay.  But we’re not coming out as far.  I want Charlie to be able to stand.  Got that?”

            Steve nods, looking intently at the young seals. 

            _“You all understand?  You must be gentle.  He is a small boy and not as strong as the girl or me.”_ He gets affirmatives from all of them as the swarm over to Danny and Charlie.  Moving carefully, they check out the small boy, marveling at how tiny he is. 

            _”Are you okay, my love?”_

_“I am fine, my dear.  The pups are playing well.”_

_“Are you sure you should be doing this?  They must know that humans are not to be around.”_

_“They understand that, like me, these humans are special.  They will be hurt by them and may even come to be loved.”_

_“Loved?  By humans?”_

_“Yes.  I love them.  I love you.”_

_“You are special, my love.  You have reason to love us.”_

_“They will, too.  They love me so they will love all of you.”_

_“I hope you are right.  Will I see you at next sunrise?”_

_“I will be there.”_

Steve has the conversation in the space of moments, his focus never wavering from the seals and the fun they are having with the kids.  He and Grace had moved to where Charlie and Danny are, and the two kids are having the time of their lives. 

            “Danny?  There’s more.”

            “What do you mean, more?”

            “Can we go up to the chairs?  This is all the big secret.”  He nods for Danny to follow him.  “They’ll be fine.”  He walks out of the water, sure that Danny will follow. 

            “Okay, Steve, what else?  I mean, this is pretty big in and of itself.  Other than that big male washing up injured.  I never knew you had such a relationship with the seals of this island.”  He sits down, eyes never leaving his kids. 

            “Well, these seals are special to me.”  He sits down, glad Danny had chosen the chair on the left.  He lifts his arm, pretending to dry off his side and wincing, loud enough for Danny to hear, as he runs the towel over the scar.

            “You okay?”  Danny turns his head, looking Steve over.  He notices the scar and looks up into Steve’s eyes.  “You didn’t say you were hurt.”

            “Yeah.  It was pretty nasty, too.”  Steve looks down at his feet.  Now that the moment is here, he’s having serious doubts.  _What if he doesn’t accept it?  What if he never accepts it?  What will I do not being able to turn?  Never to be with Lilly or my pups again?_ He shakes his head.  He knows Danny.  That will never happen.

            “Couldn’t have been that bad.  It seems pretty healed.”  Danny looks a little closer, noticing the shape.  He looks up at Steve again, confusion in his eyes.  “That an odd shaped scar.”

            Steve looks at him.  _It’s now or never._ He takes in a deep breath. 

            “Looks familiar, though.  Doesn’t it?”  He wills Danny to make the connection. 

            “It does but I know that can’t be.”  He shakes his head, his attention going back to his kids.  They are just at the waters edge now, rolling around and playing happily with the seals. 

            “Yes, it can.”  Steve says.  He watches as Danny slowly turns his head, disbelief in his eyes. 

            “No, Steven.  It can’t.  The only place I’ve seen an injury that matches this one is on the seal that we found here a little over two weeks ago.  This just looks like that.”

            “No, Danny.  It doesn’t just look like it.”

            He looks back at the SEAL, not sure what to think.  “What are you saying, Steve?”

            “I’m saying it’s the same injury.”

            “You mean on this mission, you somehow got harpooned?  Right?  That’s what you mean.” 

            “No, I’m not saying that.”  He stands.

            “You cannot be saying what I think you’re saying, cause that would be crazy, Steve.  Did you get hit over the head while you were gone?”

            “No, Danny.  I didn’t.  I’ll prove it to you.”  He heads out into the water, sending a message to HIS kids to stay where they are.  He’s never changed into seal form out of water and is not sure that would be comfortable, so he goes out until he’s deep enough to change.  He slips off his trunks and changes, everything taking on that wonderful glow again.  Breaking the surface, he hauls himself out onto the beach, nodding his head to Danny as he makes his way up to the chairs.  Barking, he moves around so that the injured side is visible and he stares at Danny. 

            Danny stands there, shaking his head.  “Come out, Steven.  This isn’t funny.  It’s a really bad joke right now.”  He looks around, waiting for Steve to come up from under the water.  “Get out here right now!”  He looks around wildly, knowing it’s been minutes since Steve went under. 

            Steve moves closer to him, moving his flippers.  If he could Danny to look closer, he would see the tattoos and how they mark him as a seal.  He gets as close as Danny will let him, barking at him to look. 

            He sees Danny bend over, looking at the scar, it’s placement, and the marking above his flippers.  It’s at that moment, his front turned away from the kids, he changes back. 

            ````````````````````````````````````````

            Danny, his vision blurring before him, jumps back as the shape changes before him and suddenly Steve is lying, naked on the sand. 

            “What the hell?  No, this is not happening.  What did you give me?  Huh?  What kind of mind altering substance did you give me to get me to believe this insanity?”  He moves further back and then remembers his kids.  “Grace!  Charlie!  We have to leave.  Your Uncle Steve is still sick from his mission.”  He waves at his kids, moving down the beach.  Looking at them, he sees them staring at their Uncle Steve, eyes wide in shock. 

            “Danno.  Uncle Steve just changed from a seal.  He can change into a seal!  Did you see him?”  Charlie starts yelling, jumping up and down.  “He can change into a seal!” 

            Danny scoops him up in his arms, nodding for Grace to follow.  “No, he didn’t Charlie.  No one can do that.  That’s impossible.”  Danny grabs there things, motioning for Grace to get what he can’t. 

            “But I saw it!  Hey, Uncle Steve!  Is this the big secret?”  Charlie leans over his dad’s shoulder as he rushes them toward the house.  “If this is your big secret, I promise, I won’t say anything to anyone!”  He grins at his favorite uncle, who now has a towel wrapped around his waist.  “I promise.  No one will know.”

            ````````````````````````````````````````````

            Steve watches as Danny gathers up his kids and rushes towards the house.  “Danny, wait!  Please, let me explain.  I can explain it all.  I can show you proof.”  He runs after them. 

            But he’s too late.  By the time he makes his way in the house, he hears the start of the Camaro and it speeding away. 

            Hanging his head, he sits down on the ottoman, head in his hands.  _This was not what I expected.  Yeah, I expected shock and disbelief but not that he’d run out.  I figured he’d at least give me a chance to explain.  What am I gonna do now?_

            ``````````````````````````````````````````````

            _“My love?  Where are you?”_  He hears in his head the next morning.  Steve currently sits at the waters edge, hair and skin wet, trunks sitting near him. 

            _“I am here, my dearest.”_

_“Why are you not out here for our usual swim?”_

_“I can no longer.”_

_“What do you mean?”_ the voice sounds closer.

            _“I can no longer join you as before.”_

He hears no answer and figures she has left him…finally.  He knew it wouldn’t last.  Why would a relationship with another species be any different than the human ones he has? 

            Looking up at the sound of splashing, he sees her coming toward him, out of the water and moving to him.  He’s sitting cross-legged, and she comes all the way up and places her head in his lap.  He gazes into her deep, black eyes, wishing he could be swimming with her right now. 

            _“What happened, my love?”_

He gently lays his hand on her head, caressing her the way he knows she likes.  _“I told him.  I showed him.”_ The pain evident in his tone.

            _“He did not accept?”_

_“No, he did not.  I thought for sure he would.  He has accepted so many other things about me, with no questions.  But he could not accept this.”_

_“I am sorry, my love.  I know he cares deeply for you and I thought he would accept.  It pains me to see you going through this.”_

_“Thank you, my dearest.  It pains me that I will never be able to swim with you again as we do.  That we will never have another pup after the one you are with.  That I will never be able to be with my ‘family’ as I always have been.  I am so sorry.  I did not mean for this to happen.”_

_“Do not concern yourself.  You will always be here, as will I.  We may never have another pup, but I will not leave.  If we have to swim as two different, than so be it.  I know the pups will not abandon you, either.  They will be here for you, also.”_

            As if on cue, he hears their barking from beyond the sand bar.  They know not to come in unless invited.  But they feel his pain. 

            _“See, my love.  They are here for you.  They are different from other seals and they know it.  They will not abandon their ‘father’.”_ Her voice soothes him.  He’s glad he hasn’t lost the ability to communicate with her.  He sits with her in his lap for several hours, finally moving when the sun becomes too much and he must go to work. 

            The day is filled with tension as soon as he walks in the door.  Danny won’t even look at him.  It makes it hard to work efficiently, but thankfully they don’t catch any cases.  He wants to approach him, but every time he tries, Danny walks away. 

            He can’t help but smile when he gets a text from Charlie telling him, again, that he will always keep his secret and when can he come swimming with him.  Not wanting to upset Danny more, he simply replies that he will have to ask Danno about coming over for a swim, and thanks him for keeping his secret.

            He gets a text from Grace, too, which surprises him.  She tells him she always knew he was different and special and how sad she is he didn’t share this before now.  She tells him that Danno might have accepted it easier a few years ago than now.  He doesn’t know what she’s talking about and is about to ask when a knock on his office door distracts him.

            Danny pokes his head in.  “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t encourage my son to come swimming with you.  He has sent at least ten texts asking when he can go swimming with you.”

            Steve tries a smile.  “I’m sorry.  I never meant that.  I just told him he needs to ask you and get your permission.  That’s all.”  He hopes this will open a dialogue between the two of them.

            “Yes, you are right.  He does need to ask my permission.  And I don’t think that will be happening any time in the near, or far, future.”  Danny nods at him and lets the door close behind him.

            `````````````````````````````````````````````````

            Steve sits out, looking over the water, watching his kids jumping and playing in the water.  Lilly had been right.  They had not abandoned him, like he thought they would, and have been here every day.  He longs to be able to get in the water with them; to be able to speed through the water, side-by-side, to the far northern islands.  He yearns to be close to his love and rub and caress her as a seal. 

            In short, he misses it.

            And he misses Danny.  He never thought that telling his secret would take away everything.  It’s been over two weeks and not a word has been said.  He still gets almost daily texts from Grace, but Danny must be watching Charlie and forbade him from contacting Steve. 

            His heart hurts at all he’s lost and he wishes he could go back and stop himself from ever telling anyone.  The pain is too much and he needs it to end. 

            His focus is so on his problems, he doesn’t hear the lanai door open and the footsteps until they are upon him.  Turning quickly in the chair, he sees the last person he ever expected to see.

            “Danny.”

            “Hello, Steven.”  He sits down in the other chair.

            “Uh, what are you doing here?”

            “Well, I’m guessing you have been texting with my daughter and she has been on me, almost daily, to come over here and talk to you.  To hear your explanation for this crazy belief of yours that you can turn into a seal.  So, for her, here I am.”  He still hasn’t looked at Steve. 

            Steve, not sure what to say, fumbles for the words.  “I appreciate you giving me the chance.”

            Quickly, Danny turns to him, eyes full of hurt and betrayal, glaring at him.  “How could you?  How could come up with this ridiculous story?  I still don’t know what happened here that day, but you cannot expect anyone to believe that you can just turn into a seal!  It is impossible.”

            Steve sighs.  “If I go inside for a minute, will you promise to stay here?  I need to get something.  Will you stay?”

            Danny considers for a moment and then nods.  “Fine.  But you have fifteen minutes to explain all this to me.  If you can’t by then, my resignation will be on your desk in the morning.  I will be going back to HPD.”  He stares out at the water.

            “Don’t move.”  Steve gets up and runs inside.  He goes to the safe in the study and gets out his father’s journal.  Danny may not believe him, but he can’t deny the words written in his father’s handwriting.  Rushing back out, he sits down, again not sure where to begin. 

            “It’s all true, Danny.  I swear it.  If I didn’t have this ability, I probably wouldn’t believe it, either, but I do.  So did my father and grandfather.”

            Danny looks at him as if he’s crazy.  “You’re gonna bring your father and grandfather into this?  Seriously?  You are crazy, Steve.  You need help.”  He moves to stand up.

            “Hey, you said I have fifteen minutes.  It’s only been two.  I still have thirteen left.”  He reaches out and grabs Danny by the wrist.  “I plan on using every last second.” 

            Slowly, Danny sits back down, not wanting to break his promise.  “Okay.  Go ahead.”

            “I found this journal of my father’s not long after I moved back in here.  I was looking around and found a loose floorboard in the downstairs bedroom and this was one of the things hidden.  Danny, this tells everything.  How my grandfather first moved here because of this ability.  When my father discovered it and talked to my grandfather, he had become one with the island and so was able to become a native monk seal.  By the time I found out I could do this, hell descended on my family and I never had the chance to sit down with him.  I was sent away and never really saw him again.  I carried this with me all these years and when I found this, I knew I wasn’t crazy or sick.”  He pauses to see if any of this is making a difference.  Danny continues to look out over the water as the sun starts to set. 

            “Okay.  This trait is passed down through the male genes.  No, Mary does not have this ability, nor does she know anything about it.  Only the men have this trait.  It’s passed down like any other genetic trait, but doesn’t manifest until after puberty hits.  As I said, I was about fourteen when I found out I could do this and within a short period of time, my mother ‘died’ and Mary and I were sent away.  I was so confused but I used it to my advantage.  I thought I was a freak so I kept it to myself.  It wasn’t until I found this journal that I realized just how lucky I was to have not said word.  Besides the consequences I’m experiencing now, they would have locked me away, either for life or to dissect me.  I don’t know which would have been worse.” 

            He stares out at the reflections on the water, loving the site and smell. 

            “Why me?  Why us?”  Danny speaks up.

            “Why you?  Come on, buddy.  I thought that would be obvious.  You and the kids are the most important people on this earth to me.  I can’t think of anyone I would rather know.  I know you would never betray this secret and would accept me for what I am.  At least, that’s what I thought.” 

            Danny holds out his hand.  Steve places the journal in it and sits back.  He listens to the sounds of the ocean while Danny skims through the book.  Thirty minutes later, as the sun is almost down, he feels Danny move. 

            “I guess this would explain why you love the water so much.”

            Steve almost bursts out laughing.  “Yes, it does.”

            “Why now?  Why not years ago?  Or years from now?  Why’d you have to do it now?”

            He takes another deep breath.  “We’ve known each other over eight years and there’s no one I trust more with my life.  Grace is gonna be going off to college soon and Charlie?  Well, soon he’ll be too old to accept something like this at face value and I needed that.  I knew he would be thrilled to know this kind of secret and even more thrilled to keep it.  I needed his innocence, while he still has it.  It was just time.”

            “I see.  How come I didn’t show up here and find you out swimming with your seal friends?”

            Steve clears his throat.  “Um, they’re not friends.  They are my offspring.  When I first got back here, I met a special female and she and I have been together ever since.  She understands and accepts what I am and has conformed to some of my human eccentricities, as she calls them.  So far, we have had seven pups together and one on the way.”

            Danny glares at him.  “You don’t have to make things up now, Steve.  Pups?  One on the way?  Do they have the ability to become human?  Do you know how ridiculous this all sounds?” 

            “I know, but it’s true.  No, they cannot become human.  The trait apparently only occurs on the human side, meaning only we can turn into seals.  And yes, I do mate.  She is a beautiful seal and I my feelings for her go deep.  As for why I’m not out swimming with them?  I can’t.  Did you not see that part in the journal?”

            “I guess not, Steve.  Why can’t you?”

            He knows Danny is going to take this the wrong way, but there’s no other way to put it.  “I can no longer turn into a seal.  Once the secret is shared, if the one it’s shared with cannot accept it or believe it, the ability is taken.  So, I have not been able to change since that day.”

            Danny looks at the man he thought was his friend, fuming.  “So this is all MY fault?  Because you chose to share this crazy tale with me, you can no longer change?  If you could in the first place.  You’re gonna blame this all on me?”

            “No, Danny.  I don’t blame you.  I blame myself.  I never should have burdened you with this secret.  I should have just continued to keep to myself.  I am the one to blame.  No one else.”

            “Oh, I see.  Now I’m not good enough to share it with?  I get it.  Now that you made the mistake of sharing it, I’m suddenly not good enough. I can’t be trusted.  I can’t believe you!  One minute, I’m the one you trust the most and the next minute, I’m not good enough and you never should have told me.  One of the biggest parts of your life, and I’m not good enough now.  God, Steven, I can’t believe you.  You know I would never break a secret like this.  Not even under threat of death.  Something this important to you would go with me to my grave.  You know that.  What makes you think that you shouldn’t have told me?  Hell, this is something you SHOULD have told me years ago!  It would have explained so much.  All those times you disappear for hours.  How the hell you can stay underwater for so long.  My god, this is not a classified op.  This is something you share with your best friend!”  Danny is breathing heavy, sweat running down his face.  “I just can’t believe you waited this long to tell me.  That hurts, Steven.  It really does.”  He sits back in the chair, darkness surrounding them. 

            “Wait.  What are you saying?  Sounds to me like you had a change of heart.”  His own heart skips a beat, hoping he is hearing what he thinks he is. 

            Danny sighs loudly.  “Go.  Go be with your other family.  You should be able to now.”  He gestures out to the water. 

            “You mean?” 

            “Go!  I always knew you different and crazy.  You’ve just proven me correct.  Go be with your family.” 

            Steve, not wanting to tempt fate anymore, stands, strips and runs into the water.  The last thing he hears before going under is Danny’s voice.  “I did not need to see your naked butt running out into the ocean.  I knew you were an animal!” 

                                                The End….?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it. Let the muse know.

**Author's Note:**

> Though inspired by many of the seal pictures online, this story is dedicated to Prae Prae. She has been in inspiration to me and I wanted to give her a little fluff. I hope everyone else enjoys.


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